Album

Antonio Vivaldi composed opera for Italian theaters for some three decades, often in connection with the Carnival season observed right before Lent. Not only did he write a lot of operas, he composed a great many opera arias and was not above revisiting an aria from a past effort and dressing it up anew for a subsequent one. A sobering amount of opera arias extant from Vivaldi's pen exist for which musicologists have no idea—and will likely never know—what stage works they were intended for. One of these, the lovely "La Farfalletta Audace" (Bold Little Butterfly) is heard for the first time, along with four other recording premieres, on Archiv's Amor Profano featuring soprano Simone Kermes as supported by the Venice Baroque Orchestra under Andrea Marcon. The theme behind the collection focuses on Vivaldi's settings that deal with affairs of the heart, a subject that as an ordained priest he wasn't expected know much about, but from the gory details of Vivaldi's biography, we are aware that he knew a great deal. The music in these settings demonstrates that very attribute throughout the collection—the setting of "Ah, Fuggi Rapido" from Orlando Furioso, with its less-than-dignified refrain of "The vile flame within you is a flame of hell, and not of love" is appropriately violent and turbulent in Vivaldi's setting. Therefore, this is a really good starting point for a collection of Vivaldi arias, based on a thematic concept as opposed to one determined by the range of a given singer or an arrangement of historic significance.

Throughout Amor Profano, Simone Kermes acquits herself well—this is some of the hardest music written for soprano. Just listen to where she has to start at the recap of the opening of "Ah, Fuggi Rapido" mentioned earlier—way up high. She gets to come back down, go quickly back up again a couple of times, and then roll through a complicated series of trills and roulades that would easily trip up the tongues belonging to the best singers. Marcon and the Venice Baroque Orchestra demonstrate a bit more restraint here than is the usual wont, but the players mainly seem concerned with not upstaging Kermes. They do get a chance to shine in the thrilling Sinfonia to Il Tamerlano (aka Bajazet) included to break up the program.

Archiv's Amor Profano is a very good collection of Vivaldi arias and a nice showcase for Kermes' talents. It may not set one on fire as Fabio Biondi's Virgin set of the whole opera Bajazet does. However, for those devoted to Vivaldi's vocal music, this will make for a proud addition to your shelf and provide much enjoyment, not to mention five "new" Vivaldi arias.

© Uncle Dave Lewis, All Music Guide

CD 1
Antonio Vivaldi Composer L'Olimpiade, RV725 (opera) Work Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
1	Siam navi all'onde algenti	6:45			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Sin nel placido soggiorino, RV712 Work Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Francesco Galligioni Cello, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
2	Sin nel placido soggiorino, RV712	7:42			$1.49
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Orlando (Orlando furioso II), RV728 (opera in 3 acts) Work Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
3	Act 2, Sc.3: Ah, Fuggi Rapido	2:28			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Tito Manlio, RV738 (opera in 3 acts) Work Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
4	Act 3, Sc.2: Non M'Affligge Il Tormento Di Morte	4:06			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Semiramide, RV733 (opera in 3 acts, 6 arias extant) Work Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
5	Act 2, Sc.3: Quegl'occhi Luminosi	5:06			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer La virtù trionfante, dell'amore, e dell'odio, overo Il tigrane, RV740 (opera in 3 acts; act 2 by Vivaldi), Work Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
6	Act 2 Scene 4. Squarciami Pure Il Seno	3:21			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Catone in Utica, RV705 (opera)...Act 2 Work Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
7	Act II Scene 9: Se in campo armato (Cesare)	6:28			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Il Tamerlano (Bajazet), RV703 (tragedia per musica)...Act 1 Work 5:56 Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
8	1.Sinfonia: Allegro 1	2:21			$0.99
9	2.Sinfonia: Andante molto	2:39			$0.99
10	3.Sinfonia: Allegro 2	0:56			$0.49
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Griselda, RV718 (opera in 3 acts)...Act 2 Work Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
11	4.Aria: Agitata da due venti	5:31			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Tito Manlio, RV738 (opera in 3 acts) Work Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
12	Act 3, Sc.14: Dopo Sì Rei Disastri	1:39			$0.49
Antonio Vivaldi Composer La verità in cimento, RV739 (opera in 3 acts) Work Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
13	Act 1 Scene12. Amato ben, tu sei la mia speranza	7:24			$1.49
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Tito Manlio, RV738 (opera in 3 acts) Work Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Gabriele Cassone Trumpet, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
14	Act 2, Sc.11: Combatta Un Gentil Cor	4:33			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer La farfalletta andace s'invola, RV749.6 Work Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
15	La farfalletta andace s'invola, RV749.6	6:47			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Giustino, RV717 (opera in 3 acts)...Act 3 Work Venice Baroque Orchestra Orchestra, Simone Kermes Soprano, Andrea Marcon Conductor
16	7.Or che cinto ho il crin d'alloro	3:35			$0.99